Self-instructor for games



A. H. H. LEWIS;

SELF INSTRUCTOR FOR GAMES.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 19,, I921.

Patented 28, 1922.

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UNITED STATES.

PATENT, fol-r ce. v

ARTHUR HENRY HOLLIDAY LEWIS, OELONDON, ENGLAND.

SEE-INSTRUCTOR FOB I Application filed October 19, 1921. Serial No. 508,727.

To all whom it may comer-n:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR HENRY HoL- LIDAY Lnwrs, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at 23 Ryder Street, London, S. W. 1, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Self- Instructors for Games, (for which application for Letters Patent was filed in Great [Britain on the 14th day of October, 1920,

tion of the limbs during the stroke are all essential to successful playing.

Whilst a player can obtainfrom books, information as to correct playing and common faults, he cannot readily study his own errors, has to rely on information from another person.

It is the chief object of the present invention to provide a handy, cheap, and eflicient device whereby a person, in practising a game, can detect and correct his errors or. model his game or play on that of some expert or exponent. Tn accordance-with the present invention, there is provided a mirror or reflector which can be suspended, stood or supported at a convenient distance in front of the player and it is furnished with a holder or the like in which can be displayed pictures, diagrams or photographs shewing the correct positions which the player wishes to study and copy. To facili tate the checking of the player s attitude and actions, the mirror maybe furnished with one or more vertical and horizontal lines or the like, similar lines or marks being placed on or in front of the pictures or photographs so that the player can check his actions and attitudes relatively to these lines, with the attitude of. the; model, or the mirror and the picture holder may be furnished with a series of vertical and horizontal lines arranged checker-wise.

With these objects in view, my invention comprises the construction and arrangement of operating parts'herein shewn and described as one embodiment of my invention and then particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the accompanying draw-' 1n T ig. 1 is a front elevation and Fig. .2 is a side elevation of ment of the present invention.

A is the reflector or mirror and B the holder for the picture or pictures.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated, the device is arranged to be supported from the ground.

The vmirror A is preferably convex and is carried in a light frame a.

A leg or support C is adapted to receive an embodi- .'or is appropriately .connected to the lower side or edge of the mirror or reflector A. The mirror may fit into a slot'or opening in the top of the support C so that the two parts can be assembled or taken apart easily or these two members A and C may be permanently secured together.

The leg or support C may be telescopicso that it takes up'a minimum of space when not in use and may be telescopic or adjustable so that when the leg is struck into the ground and the device is in use, the distance of the device from the ground may be adjusted in accordance with the requirements of. the user.

The pictures shewing the attitudes or postures upon which'the user desires to model his play are arranged in series so that they Patented Mar. 28, 1922.

retain the frame in the I upright position when the device-is in use, the ends -of the frame may have shoulders adapted to enter recesses in the lugs and to be retained therein by the spring-like nature of the frame, in a well known manner. When the device is not in use, this holder B by being turned back can rest in the concave back of the mirror making theentire apparatus of wall compass for carrying.

- For convenience 'in/ exposing a number of photographs or pictures in series, thereringsrb' b at the top of ling finished with one detail of the play can readily bring the next picture of the series to view above the mirror.

Although in' the'exampleshewn the pic-- tures are arranged above the mirror, they may be equally well arranged along side of it.

To facilitate the "user adapting himself readily to the attitude or position of the body or limbs shewn in the picture, a convenient number of indicators or guides may be pro vided, as above" stated, both'on-the mirror and on the pictures. In the example shewn, I

there are arranged at top andbottom.ofthe picture holder or-'oneach of'th'e pictures indicators B B and in similar positions on the mirror are placed -indicators A" A These indicators provide-a guide for the central line of the body.- Simi1ar indicators may be arranged at the sides of the mirror and of the pictures. Also when golf, for exam 1e, is the game being studied,j it'has been ound useful to arrange a series of lines. B checker-wise on the icture's so that the position of the feet of t e model; and the club can be studied, similar lines. A being arranged on the mirror. i

These indicators can consist of threads or wires stretched across the mirror and the picture or consist of discs marked upon the picture and mirror.

In addition to or in place of these indicators, a series of vertical horizontalor other movable or adjustable guides or indicators maybe provided. v

For example, a number of fine wires or threads having the'irends secured to guides movable along-the frame of the mirror may be provided, similar wires or threads being adjustably mounted on the frame of the picture holder. In this latter case the wires and threads may be carried upon a supple mental frame to allow forthe pictures being turned over or slipped behind the frame. These adjustable indicators can be moved so that the user can study more minutely any particular position or grip.

The device has been shewn adapted to be supported from the ground and the leg sup port shewn may be replaced by a wire support which can be folded back behind the mirror when not in use.

The device whenused for the game of,

billiards for example, may be provided with a support for securing it to a table.

It may also be adapted to be hung on a wall so as to be used in a room as for ex-- ample, for the studying of physical exercises two points in the execution of the stroke, and

finally the correct positions at the end of the stroke. The player standing in front of the device wil see himself 1n-the mirror with the picture giving the correct attitude on a line with hisownreflection, and havin studied and mastered say: the up, he Wll change the picture to that showing the positien at the beginning of the stroke and so on through the series of pictures. p

The pictures may be photographs of'actual players, so that the person using the device can accurately copy the various acts and attitudes, the aforesaid guide lines enabling him to'study minute details of position and detect and correct his errors.

' As the reflection of say a right handed player will appear in the mirror as a left handed. player, it is necessary that in preparing the picture or photographs that these are made to agree. This can be accomplished by printing the photographs of a right right handed player from a reversed nega tive thus making the photograph to appear I lefthanded.

What I claim as my invention and desire -to secure by. Letters Patent is 1. In a self-instructor, in combination, a

mirror, a picture of a figure havin an ideal pose, means for supporting the picture ad- 'jacent the mirror and in such relationship thereto that the image of the observer in the mirror is closely adjacent the pictured figure, the observers image and the pictured figure being simultaneously visible to the observer when standing in front of the mirror, and indicating means on the mirror and picture for aiding the observer in positioning himself so that his image is similar to the figure illustrated in the copy picture.

2. In aself instructor, a reflecting surface having coordinate lines superposed thereon,

a copy picture adjacent the reflecting surface including the representation of a figure hav- 1 mg an ideal pose and also having coordinate lines superposed thereon, the copy picture and reflecting surface being visible simu'ltaneously by an observer standing in front of the reflecting surface so that the image of the observer in the mirror may be compared with the figure illustrated in the copy picture withthe assistance of the coordinate lines. v 3. In a self-instructor, in combination, a circular. convex mirror, a picture of a re having an ideal pose, means associated with the mirror for supporting the picture in Such relationship to the mirror that the of the observer in the mirror is closely adhaving an ideal pose, means for su jacent the pictured figure, coordinate lines on the mirror and corresponding coordinate lines on the picture whereby an observer standin in front of the mirror and simultaneous y perceiving his image and the ideal figure, is enabled to compare his image with saidv figure.

4. In a self-instructor, in combination, a mirror so curved that the image of an observer stationed in front of the same is of relatively small size, a picture of a figure having an ideal pose, means associated with the mirror for supporting said picture in such relationship to the mirror that the image of the observer in the mirror is closely adjacent the pictured figure, the observers image and the picture being simultaneously visible to the observer when standing in front of the mirror so that the observers pose maybe compared with the ideal pose.

5. In a self-instructor, in combination, a portable curved mirror, a picture of a figure porti the picture adjacent the mirror an In suc relationship thereto that the image of the observer in the mirror is closely adjacent I the pictured figure, the observers image and the pictured figure being simultaneously visible to the observer when standing in front of the mirror, indicatin means on the mirror and picture for ai mg the ob-' server in positionin himself so that his image is similar to t e figure illustrated in .a member secured to the other end designe and constructedto be readily attached and detached from the mirror.

6. Ina self-instructor, in combination, a mirror so curved that the image of an observe-r stationed in front of the same is of relatively small size, a series of pictures showing figures disposed in ideal poses, common means associated with the mirror for supporting said pictures in such manner that any one of them may be brou ht into such relationship to the mirror t at the image of the observer in the mirror is closely adjacent and parallel to the pictured figure, the other pictures being concealed from view, the observers image and the icture being simultaneously visible to the 0 server when standing in front of the mirror so that the observers pose may be compared with the ideal pose.

' ARTHUR HENRY HOLLIDAY LEWIS. 

